high chairs, booster seats, or bring your own?

best option for toddler's high chair needs

  • High chair or booster was clean and easy to get/use

  • Bring your own cover or booster seat

  • Sit child on lap or in booth style seat


Results are only viewable after voting.
thanks, i feel better now. Yes we got married in Disney in 2008 and have had about 10 trips, but this is the first one with our DD.

So i've decided to take the advice on leaving the booster behind, but i will probably get the cover.
 
thanks, i feel better now. Yes we got married in Disney in 2008 and have had about 10 trips, but this is the first one with our DD.

So i've decided to take the advice on leaving the booster behind, but i will probably get the cover.

As far as using the larger restrooms with your daughter goes, be forewarned that there are idiots out there who will yell at you for using the larger stall if you are not obviously disabled:headache:. There was a thread about that very thing a couple of weeks ago. I just don't want you to be taken by surprise and upset if it does happen. Prepare some snappy comebacks ahead of time.;)
 
Can I ask how old she is? She's potty trained, so I assume walking, climbing on playground equipment, etc? So wouldn't it be easier to just wipe down the high chair before using it and then wash hands when your done? There are going to be more germs on the rides, handrails, playground, interactive line thingys...

DS stopped using high chairs early, and even stopped wanting to sit in a booster by 2.5. (He preferred to kneel). No way would he have consented to a seat cover.
 
I am also curious how old your daughter is. Mine is currently 27 months so I totally understand your concerns & own the same potty seat and booster chair but wow,I can not imagine bringing all the stuff you are thinking of hauling, especially if you will be using bus and/or trams where you'll have to unload and fold the stroller! We live locally and I have been bringing my daughter at least once a month (but usually a lot more) since she was a month old. Obviously packed very differently for different stages of her life but even though we are frequently in a park from open to close (thanks to the neverending parade of out of town guests you get when you live in Orlando!) I have never brought more than our stroller and a mini backpack to use as a diaper bag even when she was teeny tiny.
There are plenty of booster seats available at both restaurants & quick service, however, at 27 months my daughter prefers to sit on her knees on a regular chair at quick service and can reach the tables fine. (I frequently stick her in a high chair anyways only to keep her contained.) The sit downs ask at check in if we want a high chair or booster & have one waiting so she automatically assumes it is her seat when we get to the table & climbs right in. The current high chairs are kind of small so if your child is over 2 and not petite they may not be very comfortable (and if they are over 2 a booster is probably preferable anyways unless they are like my daughter who doesn't sit still well yet once she finishes the little she eats so it is best for everyone if we contain her sometimes but we always start with a booster now & switch to high chair only if need be). The quick service chairs & boosters are as clean as any you'd find at a local family friendly restaurant-not spotless but not disgusting either. I just do a quick wipe down of both chair & eating area with a wipe. (I do still find those placemats that stick on the table very helpful at this stage since she tends to get food all over & the disposable ones are so tiny they take up no space in a diaper bag). I've never used a cover (which would only fit on high chair, not booster) because to me it's just another thing to lug around & you get the same results by just wiping the chair down. (And honestly, I've never experienced this but if you truly felt a chair was really dirty & told somebody at Disney they'd probably bring you another or clean it for you.)
As far as a potty, I'd never bring our Bjorn along either. I have a small, fold up potty seat that sits on top of the potty & folds nicely to fit in its own little bag in our diaper bag. In a pinch I've covered the potty seat with a liner and held her on it. I have never had a problem finding a clean potty for my daughter (who is in the early stages of training so if she needs to go, she needs to go now!). Yes, I've encountered some nasty stalls but never an entire bathroom full & we simply wait for the next potty (I usually wait for the larger stall anyways since it is often me alone & the stroller with her...yes I know they are for handicapped but I will not leave my stroller unattended outside a bathroom, I've known of more than one that has gotten stolen. If it is obvious someone who truly needs the handicapped stall is waiting I would always let them go first but Disney also has companion restrooms available to them in many places, which I will not use).
The baby care centers all have potties in them and they are usually some of the cleanest I've found but with a training toddler they unfortunately aren't always conveniently located.
As far as the laptop, don't bother. Wifi in the parks is okay at best (think of all the people also trying to use it, the more users, the slower it will be!). You can Skype from a smartphone for the same effect but I would focus less on that and more on just enjoying on your own your little one's reactions to things. You can video things to share with family later & that way it is preserved forever.
Hope I helped a little. Seriously, you may think you need to bring so much more for a little one but the less you bring, the better & happier you probably will be after a long day of carting stuff around. If you truly need something you forgot right at that instant baby care probably sells it.
Also, something you seem concerned about that makes you want to bring these things is germs. I hate to tell you this but if your toddler is anything like my 27 month old they will want to touch everything in sight! You can't control this unless you carry them through every single line and hold them in your lap on every single ride. If there's a wall, a chain, a rope, a bar, etc in front of or next to my little one she wants to touch it or run her hands along it! They dont sanitize que lines or ride cars between people. I imagine there are far more germs getting on her that way than from any potty seat or booster/high chair! It would not be a fun day at all for me if I was constantly reminding her not to touch things/put her hands in her mouth. I bring lots of wipes and wipe down her hands and wash at a sink every so often but there is no way I could have a fun day at Disney if I worried about all the germs she is touching nonstop so other than that I just let it go & she's been surprisingly healthy so far.
Have a great trip and try to pack for the parks only what you would bring with you if you were going out and about locally for a day with your toddler. :) Toddlers tend to adapt pretty easily to new and different things & if your LO does have a meltdown I doubt it will be over their missing familiar potty chair or booster seat!
 

I'll be traveling with my 4 kids in September- they'll be 13, 12, 11, and 20 months at the time. I'm planning on bringing a travel booster seat for the baby, not because I worry about germs, but because he needs a 5 point harness. He's a climber and gets out of high chair lap belts in no time, I think it will be worth carrying it to keep him seated a little longer.
 
I'll be traveling with my 4 kids in September- they'll be 13, 12, 11, and 20 months at the time. I'm planning on bringing a travel booster seat for the baby, not because I worry about germs, but because he needs a 5 point harness. He's a climber and gets out of high chair lap belts in no time, I think it will be worth carrying it to keep him seated a little longer.

A few of my friends use this for travel

http://www.tiechair.com/
 
A few of my friends use this for travel

http://www.tiechair.com/
I've been kind of curious about these, but how do they work for a child that would normally eat off of the table top, but can't reach because there's nothing boosting them up? It seems these are really only good for babies who are being spoon fed or children who are tall enough to reach the table (in which case, I would imagine they are older and probably wouldn't want to be tied down to a chair).

I would love for something like this to work for us because DD can usually escape from restaurant high chairs and boosters aren't stable enough for her yet (plus there's that escaping problem). I just don't see how one of these is really practical and would love to know how people are using them for the in between kids..
 
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I'm sorry that you found my post rude. I have no problem with people washing their hands after changing diapers, wiping themselves, etc. I just couldn't picture how you would clean it without running water. You explained about the wipes and if that works for you then great. I still don't think you should carry a potty around with you when you have the time to teach her to use a seat that fits on top of a regular toilet. I know from experience that even that much can be a pain as my oldest was terrified to sit on "the big potty seat" and I carried her potty cover everywhere for several months until she got used to the bigger seat.
 
I'm sorry that you found my post rude. I have no problem with people washing their hands after changing diapers, wiping themselves, etc. I just couldn't picture how you would clean it without running water. You explained about the wipes and if that works for you then great. I still don't think you should carry a potty around with you when you have the time to teach her to use a seat that fits on top of a regular toilet. I know from experience that even that much can be a pain as my oldest was terrified to sit on "the big potty seat" and I carried her potty cover everywhere for several months until she got used to the bigger seat.

It wasn't rude. It's a valid concern. I don't know how anyone can't see that there's a world of difference between washing your hands that may have had incidental contact with urine and feces and washing a container that is specifically designed to hold large amounts of urine and feces (and also has a much higher chance of splashing said urine and feces outside of the sink bowl and onto the counters, handles, and floors).
 
oh like i would pick it up and sloshily carry it to the sink full of urine and poop. COME ON! I dump it into the toilet and wipe it out. OMG. Oh yeah and you can just picture i let the baby carry it to the sink and push the poop down the sink. So annoying!!

Anyway as far as the travel boosters, those look great and take up less space than the hard plastic one i was thinking of.

My DD would be 2 years 4 months at the time.

We do have the placemats with that are disposable and stick on the table. We used them on our cruise and it was great and kept her occupied to look at all the designs on it.

I would not want to wipe down my hands with sanitizer or my DD's just because I would not want her to put her hands in her mouth right afterwards. I would just wash her hands as often as necessary.

If i got her used to the big potty, she is too small to hold herself up on it without falling. I would have to get a step and then she would have to climb onto it or I would have to place her on it and she'd have to learn to balance on it to keep herself on it. I don't think that would make a relaxing place to go potty on. I would rather wait for that introduction for awhile. I like her on her baby sized little potty. It is a called a Baby Bjorn Smart Potty. I just got the large Jansport backpack and it fits with plenty of room to spare in the large area. It will be no hassle to pop it in and out. Then it has another large zippered area that i'll put diapers/wipes/change of clothes, then the front large pocket for her food/juice/snacks, and the front small pocket for whatever else and there is even another small pocket that would be great for the camera. So everything I'm bringing will fit in the backpack with room to spare and we'll take the First Years Ignite Stroller. I dont' think that is a lot to carry in the parks. Oh, and i'm going to look into the travel booster.. great idea!
 
I would have to get a step and then she would have to climb onto it or I would have to place her on it and she'd have to learn to balance on it to keep herself on it. I don't think that would make a relaxing place to go potty on.

Maybe I'm missing something (DD isn't potty training yet, so truly may be) - but why would her balance be any more of an issue with one of the travel fold up potty seats that go on top of an adult toilet (thus making the opening small enough for the child) be any different than sitting on the baby potty?

yes, you'd have to lift her up most likely - but i'm really not sure why anything else would be a huge issue as you are saying?
 
oh like i would pick it up and sloshily carry it to the sink full of urine and poop. COME ON! I dump it into the toilet and wipe it out. OMG. Oh yeah and you can just picture i let the baby carry it to the sink and push the poop down the sink. So annoying!!

Anyway as far as the travel boosters, those look great and take up less space than the hard plastic one i was thinking of.

My DD would be 2 years 4 months at the time.

We do have the placemats with that are disposable and stick on the table. We used them on our cruise and it was great and kept her occupied to look at all the designs on it.

I would not want to wipe down my hands with sanitizer or my DD's just because I would not want her to put her hands in her mouth right afterwards. I would just wash her hands as often as necessary.

If i got her used to the big potty, she is too small to hold herself up on it without falling. I would have to get a step and then she would have to climb onto it or I would have to place her on it and she'd have to learn to balance on it to keep herself on it. I don't think that would make a relaxing place to go potty on. I would rather wait for that introduction for awhile. I like her on her baby sized little potty. It is a called a Baby Bjorn Smart Potty. I just got the large Jansport backpack and it fits with plenty of room to spare in the large area. It will be no hassle to pop it in and out. Then it has another large zippered area that i'll put diapers/wipes/change of clothes, then the front large pocket for her food/juice/snacks, and the front small pocket for whatever else and there is even another small pocket that would be great for the camera. So everything I'm bringing will fit in the backpack with room to spare and we'll take the First Years Ignite Stroller. I dont' think that is a lot to carry in the parks. Oh, and i'm going to look into the travel booster.. great idea!

My Izzy was in 18 month sized clothes when she potty trained at age 3. Absolutely tiny. Yes, when we went places I had to place her on the potty and hold her there because otherwise she would fall in or off. Unlike her older sister I wasn't willing to carry around the potty seat everywhere we went. But we got through it. It wasn't the end of the world. We traveled a lot. If you are willing to carry all those things despite every person in this thread recommending against it, then please do so. I hope to read your trip report with all the details.
 
We took our first trip as a family last summer when my youngest was 2. We had trouble fitting her in high chairs at Chef Mickey's and Garden Grill. Anyone else experience this? I ended up holding her at CM. At GG, we tried their booster, but she was pretty wiggly. My daughter is not overweight or anything; she is at the upper end for height, though.

I think you're right to request a booth when you can. I do remember having her "trapped" beside me at Sci-Fi.

I didn't worry too much about our stroller, although once someone took the poncho off of it that we left to attempt to keep the seat dry during a light rain. We drove, so we had our regular stroller that came as part of a travel system. I left the diaper bag, but it wasn't special and only had baby stuff in it. I kept my phone and a wallet in my pocket. If someone had taken my bag, they would've been pretty disappointed.

We hadn't even started potty training yet. When we go next summer, well be diaper-free!
 
If i got her used to the big potty, she is too small to hold herself up on it without falling. I would have to get a step and then she would have to climb onto it or I would have to place her on it and she'd have to learn to balance on it to keep herself on it. I don't think that would make a relaxing place to go potty on.

My son started potty-learning (no one trained him, he started on his own) at 18 months. A year later I finally did the last wash&dry of the cloth dipes and put them away. HE had been done with them for 6 months.

He was young. He did a lot of the HOME elimination on the Baby Bjorn Little Potty (which I've heard doesn't exist anymore, sadness), but when OUT he sat on the toilet. I put him on it then squatted down in front of him and made sure there was no falling in. I also often had to hold down his boy business, so to speak, because he was pretty young and didn't remember to do it most of the time. (we didn't introduce standing to pee for a good deal longer, and frankly I wish boys didn't stand to pee b/c it's such a mess, but I digress) So I was *right there*.

And it was WAY easier than at home dealing with the BBLP and having to make sure it didn't get knocked over and emptying it and all. And I should mention I never had to deal with poop in the potty, because he either did that in the toilet or in a diaper. So cleaning the potty was easier than it is for you (b/c you indicate she poops in it), but I still felt that using the the toilet, squatting down in front of him and holding him up (and down LOL) was an easier prospect than hauling a potty around and cleaning it in a public bathroom WHILE dealing with him!

Children are small, toilets are big. And plenty of children use toilets; it just takes some help from the parent. And as for cleanliness...I'll put a back of a thigh on a toilet seat ANY day (b/c if any other part is touching the toilet seat, you are doing it WRONG, which is why I think hoverers are so bizarre...your bits aren't touching it!) over carrying around the elimination vessel. shudder....
 
I just got the large Jansport backpack and it fits with plenty of room to spare in the large area. It will be no hassle to pop it in and out. Then it has another large zippered area that i'll put diapers/wipes/change of clothes, then the front large pocket for her food/juice/snacks, and the front small pocket for whatever else and there is even another small pocket that would be great for the camera. So everything I'm bringing will fit in the backpack with room to spare and we'll take the First Years Ignite Stroller. I dont' think that is a lot to carry in the parks. Oh, and i'm going to look into the travel booster.. great idea!

Another thought--all of that stuff is going to have to be searched before you go into the parks. And probably some of it will have to come out. If the person checking your bag can't see to the bottom, they will have you pull some of the items out. So don't get your bag packed too full, or only have it zip closed a certain way. That in itself will be a huge hassle.

Oh, and they will check the bottom of your stroller too, so don't pack that full either.

You seem bound and determined to carry all of that stuff, even though we are all telling you it just isn't necessary. So I will wish you good luck.
 
You've lost me now....an almost 2.5 yr old can use a regular potty. You have to go into the stall with them anyway, so lifting them up and helping them sit isn't an issue. But again they make these TINY fold potty seats that sit on the adult seat that allow a child to fit. No cleaning mess, no issue of dragging it around.

And I might add, that despite all my trips to WDW and all my trips to their bathrooms (I have a weak bladder...) I have never seen someone with a potty. So if all those other children can do it, I'm pretty sure yours can. And might even be proud to be a big girl.

But really, if you want to drag all this stuff around, pull it in and out of the backpack for security and every use, who am I to judge? Have fun.
 
oh like i would pick it up and sloshily carry it to the sink full of urine and poop. COME ON! I dump it into the toilet and wipe it out. OMG. Oh yeah and you can just picture i let the baby carry it to the sink and push the poop down the sink. So annoying!!

That's not what she was saying. She was talking about rinsing it out after you've dumped it. The sinks are pretty small and it would be nearly impossible to rinse it out without spilling water all over the place.

I think if you weren't so defensive you'd realize that people really are trying to help you.
 
That's not what she was saying. She was talking about rinsing it out after you've dumped it. The sinks are pretty small and it would be nearly impossible to rinse it out without spilling water all over the place.

I think if you weren't so defensive you'd realize that people really are trying to help you.
I did get a pretty good chuckle from her reply though with the thought of my daughter carrying her full-to-the-brim poopy potty vessel to the sink and shoving the poop down the drain.

I hate Disney sinks and their counters. They are always covered in water from people washing their hands. I can't put my purse down anywhere on the counters. This is something I'm not looking forward to on our upcoming trip with DD. Usually I wash her hands, then put her on the counter next to the sink, wash mine, and then leave. Can't do that there unless I want a soppy bottom for the rest of the day!
 

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